Hermione Granger and the Centaur Boy
by EmpressV
Summary: Hermione Granger's life is changed when she discovered an orphaned Centaur. (Ron/Herm romantic sub-plot, final Chapter added)
1. Abandoned

Title: Hermione Granger and the Centaur Boy   
Author: EV /Rhonda Weasley  
E-Mail: lady_vader21@yahoo.com  
Timeline: future fic, post-Hogwarts years  
  
  
Chapter One: Abandoned   
Summary: An abandoned centaur baby is found by Hagrid and chooses a new mother, Hermione.   
  
author's note 1: Had to make a decision about Centaurs and how quickly they age. Now, as most people know, a horse comes to maturity at a much faster rate than a human, but since a centaur isn't exactly a horse, but not exactly human either, how fast do the babies mature? So I decided that they mature faster than humans' in some ways (obviously they would likely become mobile as quick as a colt), but in other ways they mature at a more human rate.   
  
author's note 2: How fun it is to write Hagrid... not. The problem with Hagrid is trying to figure out how to make his speech Hagrid-like without making him sound foolish. That was the hardest part of this fic. I hope I did a decent job of it.  
  
author's note 3: Just a minor little thing. It is implied Hermione and Ron were together and broke up. And they parted on bad terms. I'm not trying to make Ron look like a bad guy, but usually when couples part on bad terms they see the other persons the bad guy, so Hermione may sound a little bitter on the subject in chapter one.  


* * *

  
  
Hagrid heard a piercing cry in the forbidden forest. A sound of extreme pain. He followed the sound and soon came upon a snarling wolf attacking something small. He managed to scare him away. Then the moonlight revealed an almost human face. A baby human face. But he could see the crying creature wasn't human at all, it was a centaur. He was quite an unusual baby centaur. His coat was almost golden. In the center of his head there was a mark, a quite unusual mark, it seemed to be a birthmark in the shape of a star. And his blood was... he was bleeding. The wolf had bitten his leg. Hagrid took off his coat and wrapped the baby in it. Then he carried him back to his hut. The baby centaur needed rest and to heal before it could be returned to the herd.   
  
-------------  
  
Hermione pulled her cloak tightly around her as she knocked on the door of Hagrid's Hut. The wind was blowing fiercly. She was at Hogwarts to see Professor McGonagall and decided to drop by to see Hagrid. She heard his son was with him and the little one, Rubeus Hagrid III, was surprisingly normal in size. His human half seemed to have been passed on when it came to height.   
  
Hagrid was quick to answer the door, but he seem to be intentionally blocking the entrance. He was acting very odd, the only other time he'd seemed so suspicious was when he'd had that baby dragon. She knew Hagrid hadn't had a proper pet since Fang died.  
  
"Hello Hagrid," she said.   
  
"Good to see yah 'ermione. Ain't seen ya since you graduated."  
  
Hermione smiled. "Well, I was here to Professor McGonagall and I decided I couldn't leave without a hello. I heard your son is here."  
  
"No, 'e's wit his muther. But I got a picture. Wait 'ere."  
  
Hagrid turned to go in.   
  
"Can't I come in?"  
  
Hermione then heard a very human cry from inside the hut.   
  
"If your son is not with you, who's crying?" She looked past Hagrid before he answered. He shifted enough to allow Hermione to see inside (though she could see nothing out of the ordinary from where she was), but he moved and allowed her to come in now that she had heard the cry. She saw, what seemed to be, a human baby sitting on a bed of straw under a blanket, but the shape was odd under the blanket, not human at all. And she saw why as the baby got shakily to it's feet and the blanket fell off. A centaur. An adorable baby centaur with traces of black hair. He was no bigger than a baby goat and his coat looked quite golden. He wobbled as he walked over to her.  
  
"A centaur," Hermione said as she looked into his big blue eyes. "A baby centaur. How long have you had him?"  
  
"Couple weeks," Hagird said getting a bottle and handing it to Hermione. "That's what he was crying for. Give it to 'em. He's use to it now. 'is legs is much stronger, be ready to go back soon."  
  
"He's beautiful," Hermione said as she tipped the bottle to his lips. She was sitting now and his hands were holding her leg as she feed him. He looked up at her and she clearly saw the birthmark on his head that looked like a star.   
  
"A wolf attacked him. Lucky to be alive that baby is," Hagrid said.   
  
"A wolf?"  
  
"In a couple more weeks he'll be ready to go back into the forest."  
  
"But do you know his parents?"  
  
"Not 'xactly."  
  
"What if he's attacked again. Hagrid, he's just a baby. He needs his mother."  
  
"He'll be okay with the herd."  
  
"And you know how to get him to the herd."  
  
"Not 'xactly," Hagrid said. "Centaurs are private folk. Hard to find when they don't want to be found."  
  
The baby centaur finished the bottle and without thinking she began patting him on his back. Eventually he belched.  
  
"You got good instincts 'ermione. Make a right good mother one day." Hagrid sighed and look at the baby centaur. "I been thinkin', maybe I should send Charlie Weasley an Owl, he knows..."   
  
Hagrid kept talking but Hermione's was suddenly seeing the baby locked in a pen, caged like an animal at night, and treated as a circus act.  
  
"I'll take him," Hermione said cutting off whatever Hagrid was saying.   
  
"But 'ermione, you can't..."  
  
"Just until he's old enough to survive on his own."  
  
"He may look a little like a human baby boy, but he's a completely different creature."  
  
"He's not a beast, centaurs chose to be classified as such, you know that. I can take care of him."   
  
"But--"  
  
Hermione already had his blanket and was asking about bottles. Hagrid answered her questions in-between attempts to think up arguments against her taking the baby centaur. He gave up on it.   
  
----------------  
  
  
"Hermione," Ginny called slipping into the house they shared.   
  
The two had shared a residence since they were on a research team in Greece. When they returned home they bought a house together and had been living together ever since. She stepped into the kitchen and saw Hermione preparing a bottle.   
  
"How did the interview go?" Ginny asked.   
  
"I'm not taking the position," Hermione said.   
  
"Why wouldn't you..." the red headed woman began, but she paused realizing it was quite out of place for Hermione to be preparing a bottle.  
  
Ginny heard a soft tap-tap behind her. It sounded like.... hooves. She turned and saw a baby centaur. He smiled at her.  
  
"A centaur?" Ginny questioned. "Hermione, it's a centaur."  
  
"Yes," Hermione said sitting down. "We're going to be taking care of him for awhile."  
  
He came to Hermione and started drinking from his bottle.   
  
"Isn't he beautiful?" Hermione asked.   
  
"He's a centaur. Hermione do you realize how big centaurs get?"  
  
"He's not a pet. We're not keeping him forever."  
  
"He's a centaur," Ginny repeated.   
  
"Ginny, look at him, just look at him."  
  
Ginny came over and took a good look at the little one. He was quite beautiful and unusual, even for a centaur. She too noticed the odd mark on his head and started to touch it and pulled back. There certainly was something special about him, though she couldn't figure out what.   
  
"He is quite beautiful," she said with a smile as he finished the bottle.  
  
"Mama," he said hugging Hermione's leg.   
  
"What did he call you?"  
  
"It's okay."  
  
"Hermione he thinks your his mother."  
  
"Well, I am in a way... don't worry Ginny. The situation in under control."  
  
Ginny looked doubtful. She agreed that the boy was beautiful, but she didn't feel as maternal as Hermione.  
  
"I know what he is, I know he's not my son, but he's a baby and he needs a mother."  
  
"It easier, isn't it?"  
  
"What?"  
  
"Loving a baby. It's easier. I know you shut yourself off after the whole thing with Ron."  
  
"This has nothing to do with Ron!" Hermione said sharply. She calmed herself before continuing. "Listen, he's not old enough to care for himself. And the ministry would cage him and treat him like a beast, because they wouldn't know what else to do with him. Centaurs are only classified as beast by choice, they are as much a being as you or I. They speak and think and learn just as well as any human child. I just want to be sure, in the absence of an adult centaur, he gets what he needs."  
  
"Okay," Ginny said, never as good as arguing with Hermione as her brother was (then again, nobody was). "But we're going to have to be very careful. This baby is classified as a beast. And no matter how cute and human like the little bugger is now, that's what the ministry of magic sees him as, a beast. And wizards with magical pets, especially those classified at the level of--"  
  
"He's not a pet!" Hermione said sharply. "Listen, he's mine to worry about."  
  
"Okay," Ginny said.  
  
"It's temporary," she said stroking the baby hairs on the little centaur's head as he played with the fingers on her free hand.   
  
Ginny could tell by the look in Hermione's eyes, she was far to in love with the little centaur already to let go easy. But she wouldn't argue with her today. It had been a long time since she's seen such joy on her friends face. After all, what harm could come of it. He was just a tiny baby centaur.   
  
  
  
  
  
5-10-2003


	2. Cyrus

Title: Hermione Granger and the Centaur Boy   
Author: EV /Rhonda Weasley  
E-Mail: lady_vader21@yahoo.com  
Timeline: future fic, post-Hogwarts years  
  
  
Chapter Two: Cyrus   
Summary: The father of the baby centaur returns to claim his son.

* * *

On the second day, the baby centaur got a name, Cyrus. And he spent the next five years going by that name and identifying Hermione as his mother. She home schooled him and worked at a Wizard Library. Hermione and Ginny had mostly kept Cyrus a secret. Only there closest friends knew about him. Ginny had a witch friend who baby sat for Cyrus when he was really small. One of Hermione's friends, who was rather wealthy, let Cyrus come down to her estate on weekends. She let him play with her kids and he got to run and play on her grounds. He cherished the weekends where he got to run and stretch his legs. Her husband didn't seem very comfortable with the young centaur being around his children.   
  
Hermione noticed Cyrus' coat began to look more silver than gold as he got older. He had beautiful wavy black hair and his horse-like body was lean and his coat smooth. When he ran there was something magical and graceful about it.   
  
With the exception of those weekends, he mostly stayed inside with books. He had quickly graduated from being read to and now read on his own. He had an assortment of muggle and wizard toys also. Like most boys, he often left them all over the house.   
  
"Mum, Mum where's mini Viktor Krum?" Cyrus asked. "He's not on the shelf with my other figures."  
  
Hermione came out of the bedroom and walked into the living room. She picked up the toy.   
  
"I thought you were going to be more careful with your rare figures."  
  
"Sorry mum," Cyrus said. "Did you really know him?"  
  
"He was kind of my first date ever."   
  
"I thought that was Aunt Ginny's brother Ron."  
  
"No, Ron was my first love. My first ... a lot of things."  
  
Cyrus smiled.   
  
"Some day I'll have to tell you the entire Yule Ball story," Hermione said.   
  
"Is Ron going to be there, at the Burrow?"  
  
"I don't know," Hermione said.   
  
Ginny entered the room.   
  
"You all ready Cyrus?" Ginny asked.   
  
"Yeah," Cyrus said. "If I could just find my..."  
  
Hermione handed him a cloak. She helped him put on the cloak and it kind of laid across his back and fell off. Hermione had been dressing Cyrus (at least his upper body) since he was small. This, along with many other things, worried Ginny. As much as she loved the boy, she knew his too-human lifestyle would be more of a hindrance than a help once he was introduced into the centaur world, where he belonged. The problem was trying to get Hermione to say exactly when this would be. Cyrus was growing like a weed.  
  
Whenever Ginny brought up taking Cyrus to forbidden forest or some centaur reserve, Hermione avoided the question or set up some unknown date in the future.   
  
"Aunt Ginny, you think your mum will like me?"  
  
"Everyone loves you Cyrus," Ginny said. "See you there."  
  
Ginny apparated out of the living room. She, like Hermione, only traveled by Floo Powder when apparating wasn't an option. And right now, Hermione had to see to Cyrus. Cyrus took some floo power and stepped into the fireplace.   
  
"The Burrow," Cyrus said loudly.   
  
~~~"~~~~  
  
Seconds after Cyrus, Hermione arrived in the Burrow. He was surrounded by children. Mrs. Weasley's grandchildren. They were all talking excitedly around Cyrus. She greeted many of the Weasleys with a Hello, but she found an unexpected face at the edge of the room. He looked different, almost all his hair was gone. Well he hadn't gone bald, but it was extremely short. like he'd just come home from the military. She missed his fiery red hair. But she certainly didn't miss his fiery temper, she reminded herself. They approached each other cautiously.   
  
"So it's true then. Hermione Granger owns a centaur," Ron said.   
  
"I don't own him."  
  
Cyrus hooves were heard as he approached the two of them.   
  
"So you're Cyrus?" Ron said.   
  
"Yeah," Cyrus said. "And your Ron, I guess."  
  
"Never seen a centaur wearing clothes," Ron said.   
  
"Well I'm not like most centaurs," Cyrus said with a smile. Then he turned to Hermione. "Can I play outside Mum, with the others?"  
  
"Sure Cyrus."  
  
He ran outside with Ron's nieces and nephews.   
  
"He calls you mum?" Ron asked.  
  
"What else would he call me," Hermione said. "I raised him."  
  
"Yeah, but he's a centaur don't you think it's about time he had a home with other centaurs."  
  
"She's been told a hundred times," Ginny, who was standing nearby, pointed out. "She doesn't listen. She hasn't even registered him."  
  
"And I wont, he's not a pet, he's a child," Hermione said. "And no muggle has seen him, only my closest   
Wizard friends know I have him, and I'm NOT keeping him."  
  
"Sure you aren't," Ron said. 

At this point, most people had gone about there business and Ginny decided to slip away and leave them to whatever argument was coming. She knew how Ron and Hermione could get and she left them to it.   
  
"He sees me as his mother and he's still a little boy, I'm not just going to drop him amongst a bunch of strangers and hope he's okay," Hermione argued.  
  
"So you plan on raising a centaur to adulthood in your home?"  
  
"Of course he won't be with me that long," Hermione said. "Besides--" she paused. "Look Ron, I didn't come here to argue with you and I don't have to explain myself. Cyrus and his future are my responsibility, you need not be concerned about him."  
  
"Just think about it Hermione, he's a magical beast and there are laws..."  
  
"HE IS NOT A BEAST!!," she yelled sharply. Realizing how she had spoken, she took a breath. "I'm sorry for yelling, but he's like my son Ron. Don't refer to him as a beast."  
  
"I'm sorry, I've talked to Ginny," Ron told her. "I know how you feel about Cyrus. But centaurs are classified as beast. And it's always how other wizards will see him."  
  
"He's just like those other children Ron," Hermione said. "He eats at a table, he's never hunted or lived in a forest. He lives in a house, he has a warm place to sleep every night, he plays with toys and reads books. How cruel would it be to take that life away from him?"  
  
"How cruel would it be to let him grow up in a world he can never be a part of?" Ron said. "Right now he's at the perfect age to be taught to live as a centaur."  
  
"But he's not like them. I can see it in his eyes," Hermione told Ron. "He's something unique. I can't explain it, I mean I know centaurs aren't completely uncivilized beast, in fact they're quite intelligent. But that's not the world for Cyrus. That world is so removed from us and our world is what Cyrus knows. Just look into his eyes Ron and you'll see what I mean, he's more than what he seems."  
  
"That's only because you see yourself as his mother. It was like Hagrid seeing Norbert as some sweet   
harmless baby."  
  
"How can you compare Norbert and Cyrus?!"  
  
"Of course they're nothing alike, but Hermione, you need to take him home to the centaurs and stop trying   
to make him more than what he is."  
  
"You'd know a lot about that, wouldn't you, giving up. I don't work that way," Hermione told him. "Now   
if you'll excuse me--"   
  
Hermione left the room and went outside where Mrs. Weasley was watching Cyrus playing with her   
grandchildren. She seemed quite enchanted with Cyrus.   
  
"He's really beautiful," Mrs. Weasley said. "I wouldn't believe it if I wasn't actually looking at   
him, but there's something almost---"  
  
"Delicate about him," Hermione finished.   
  
"Yes, very much so."  
  
"I've always seen centaurs as intelligent creatures, but with this roughness about them. Creatures of the earth, but Cyrus doesn't posses that. He seems... angelic almost"  
  
She scowled at Ron as he came outside. He joined some of his brothers who were discussing Quidditch.   
  
"Ron still thinks fondly of you Hermione," Mrs. Weasley said. "He ask Ginny about you all the time."  
  
Hermione didn't respond but she seemed to soften some as Ron turned and his eyes met hers. Ron came over to where Hermione was standing. Mrs. Weasley excused herself.   
  
"I'm really sorry if I offended you by calling Cyrus a beast," Ron said.   
  
"I know you're sorry," Hermione said.   
  
There was an uncomfortable silence.  
  
"I wanted to send you owls loads of times, Ron said. "I just never knew what to say."  
  
"Hello would have been enough or how are you."

"You didn't write to me either."

"You made your choice Ron, so did I." Hermione sighed. "I guess this is what broke us up before, the arguing over who was at fault."  
  
Ron laughed. "We were always good at arguing."  
  
"We were good at other things too," Hermione replied with a smile.   
  
"Yeah," Ron said returning the smile. "So, we've made our peace, can I get a hug?"  
  
"Of course," Hermione said reaching out to hug him.   
  
They embraced. They'd learned to respectfully disagree a long time ago. And when things got out of hand, after a few moments alone it was easy to come back and wave the white flag. It actually wasn't fighting that broke them up. They were young and trying to find there way in the adult world. Ron joined the squad for Accidental Magical Reversal. The hours were erratic and it made it hard to plan anything. Which annoyed Hermione to no end. They spent less and less time together and then she went to Greece. She asked him to come with her, he refused, he was happy where he was and didn't want to be uprooted. Eventually distance got the better of them and there relationship ended.   
  
  
  
The evening closed on a happy note. The children had quickly forgotten Cyrus was anything but another child, or at least they treated him like one of there own. Everyone was enjoying the evening, eating dinner when there was a knock at the door. Mr. Weasley answered it.  
  
"Mr. Finnigan, What are you doing here?"  
  
"Seamus?" Hermione questioned silently.   
  
"Doesn't he work for the Department for the Regulation and Control of Magical Creatures?" Ginny asked.   
  
"Did one of you--" Hermione began to ask.  
  
"Of course not," Ginny and Ron said together.   
  
"Cyrus," Hermione said. "Go upstairs."  
  
"Yes, all you children," Mrs. Weasley said getting them out of the room.   
  
Mr. Weasley bought Seamus inside. Hermione had a feeling she was the one he wanted to see and went out to greet him with Ron and Ginny nearby.  
  
"Hermione," he said.   
  
"Yes," Hermione said approaching him.   
  
"I've been informed that for the past five years you have been caring for an unregistered magical creature."  
  
"Cyrus isn't a pet," Hermione said. "And that's why he's not registered as my... magical pet." The last few words rolled off her tongue with disgust.  
  
"Even if you believe that, he has to be registered as that for you to lawfully keep him."  
  
"I'll adopt him then," Hermione said. "Adopt him as my child."  
  
"Adopt a centaur?" Seamus asked.   
  
Ron and Ginny shared a worried glance. It certainly was the craziest thing either of them had ever heard (then again, Hermione was once on a mission to liberate perfectly happy house-elves). Still, an inter-species adoption was unheard of, even in the wizard world where there were any number of known non-humans with human-equivalent intelligence.   
  
"All I know is you need to register him or you may lose him," Seamus handed her the registration forms.  
  
"If I sign those papers, I'm saying he's a beast. He's NOT!"  
  
"He's already classified that way. All I'm saying is this way, you can keep him."  
  
Ron saw Hermione ready to refuse again and stepped up to Seamus and took the papers.   
  
"How much time do we have on these?" Ron asked.  
  
"Ron--" Hermione began.   
  
"48 hours," Seamus said. "Then the department takes him. Send them by Owl Post when you're done."  
  
Seamus left the house. Ron turned toward Hermione who looked annoyed that he had taken charge of the situation, like she was helpless.   
  
"Just fill out the forms," Ron said.  
  
"I won't. I'll adopt him, but he's not my pet, he's not a beast, I won't sign any papers that say he is."  
  
"But he's not your child, Hermione," Ron said. "No matter what you feel when you look at him. You can call him whatever you want, but filling out these simple forms let you keep him. Refusing them will make you lose him." Hermione didn't answer but kept that defiant look on her face. "But maybe it's best you don't fill them out. Maybe you know it's time. He does belong with centaurs, because Hermione he may not be a pet, but he'll never be a wizard or human."  
  
They suddenly heard hooves making a careful decent down the stairs.   
  
"Mother?" Cyrus questioned. "Is everything okay."  
  
"No Cyrus," Hermione said. "It's not. Come with me, we need to talk."   
  
Hermione led Cyrus out the door so they could talk alone. They walked for a long time in silence. It was dark now, but The Burrow was one of those wizard homes safely away from prying muggle eyes. So she wasn't worried about the centaur being spotted.  
  
"Am I going to live with other centaurs now?"  
  
Hermione didn't answer.   
  
"I hear it, you know. People telling you that I'm not human and you have to give me up eventually."  
  
"Cyrus, when I brought you home, I never planned to love you so much. I couldn't love you any more if you came from me. But you didn't, so the next thing I do depends on you. I've told you about centaurs, as much history as I knew. You know that your kind is classified as beast."  
  
"By choice," Cyrus said. "Not because we're not smart."  
  
"Right," Hermione said. "But for that reason, the only way I can keep you is by registering you as a magical creature under my care. It's not unheard of, some Wizards have things as dangerous as Hippogriffs for pets. But you would always be seen as my pet, by law. And they have regulations about keeping certain creatures, not that they've ever had to worry about a centaur before. I'm hoping they won't request anything out of the ordinary, like keeping you in a stable. But I don't know what regulations they'll come up with. Now, I could not sign these papers and you would continue to be a free centaur, but you couldn't stay with me."  
  
"I don't care what any department calls me, I want to stay with you mum."  
  
"And I want you to stay," Hermione replied. "But if we do this, I want you to know that I've always known you're more than what you seem, more than a beast, more than a magical animal. I know you're someone very special."  
  
"Thanks mum," Cyrus said and he threw his arms around her.   
  
  
Cyrus and Hermione returned to the silence of the Weasley home. Everyone who went home that evening had gone, anyone who stayed had gone to bed. Hermione decided to stay the night with Cyrus. She sat by the fire filling out the forms with Cyrus sitting nearby. He eventually fell asleep with her head in his lap. Hermione stayed awake watching him sleep in her lap. She felt Ron come into the room, or at least she felt a presence in the room. She didn't know it was Ron until he kneeled in front of her. He took a good look at Cyrus. Perhaps the first deep look he had taken.   
  
"That's an odd mark on his forehead," Ron said.   
  
"I know. It a birthmark I believe, but there's something queer about it. I keep thinking it means something, but then I dismiss it."  
  
"He's unique," Ron said. "Even for a centaur. But he's still a centaur and eventually he's going to understand that."  
  
"I thought you were on my side."  
  
"I am, okay," Ron said. "But right now I know you see a little boy and he's sees his mother. You haven't thought about the day he's not a little boy."  
  
"I hear you Ron and I know you think I'm quite mad--"  
  
"No," Ron said. "I know you're not. You remember spew?"  
  
"It wasn't --"  
  
"I know, I know, the thing is I knew why you were doing it. But I also knew the elves didn't want it. You just wouldn't hear me--"  
  
"I still think that--"  
  
"Hermione!" Ron began. "It doesn't matter. My point is, I know you have a big heart and you're trying to make a stand for what's right. But I also know sometimes you don't see the whole picture."  
  
"You're wrong, I asked Cyrus before I decided."  
  
"You asked a child if he wanted to stay with his mother or go into a world of strangers," Ron told her. "What did you think he was going to say?"  
  
She wouldn't answer, because she knew Ron made perfect sense. No child would ask to be sent away. Even in the case of extreme cruelty at the hands of parent, children had been known to desire that parent's love anyway.   
  
"I know he is your son Hermione, in all the ways that matter. But the rest of the world is never going to see that."  
  
"But you, you do see he's more than just some fantastic zoo animal."  
  
"Of course."  
  
At that moment she didn't care how the world saw Cyrus, Ron saw Cyrus as Cyrus and that was enough. She pulled him close, careful not to disturb Cyrus, and there lips meant in a gentle kiss. For a moment the familiar lips lingered cherishing the long lost touch and then they separated.   
  
"I really did miss you," Hermione said softly. "I'm sorry we didn't speak for so long."  
  
"Me too," Ron replied.   
  
  
~~~~"~~~~  
  
  
Early the next morning, before the house was really awake, Ron found Cyrus in the yard alone.   
  
"Hey Cyrus," Ron said.   
  
"Hello Mr. Ron."  
  
"Just Ron," Ron said.   
  
"You still fancy my mum, don't you?" Cyrus asked.   
  
"We use to be..."  
  
"I know, Aunt Ginny told me. I was just wondering if you still--"  
  
"Yeah, I still," Ron said.   
  
"You're nicer than I imagined," Cyrus said.   
  
"Why? Did Hermione make you think I was some kind of beast?"  
  
"No, did Aunt Ginny tell you I was one?"  
  
Ron smiled. "You're only five right?"  
  
"I've been told centaurs mature faster than humans. I don't know what my human equivalent age would be."  
  
"Do you ever wish you were human?" Ron asked. "So you could live with your mum like a normal boy?"  
  
"Only sometimes, but not because I fancy having two legs instead of four. It's just that, my mum would be happier. I could go outside no matter where I was, I could met her parents, she wouldn't have to be so careful, she wouldn't have to be ashamed of me ever."  
  
"She's not Cyrus," Ron told him. "It's not shame. If only she thought it was safe and the world would understand, she'd gladly take you anywhere and proudly tell anyone that asked, that you were her son."  
  
They smiled at each other and then both heard the call for breakfast. As Ron walked inside past Ginny she handed him a newspaper.  
  
"Hermione's in trouble," Ginny said. She pointed to and article in the _Daily Prophet_.   
  
Ron looked down at the page. There was a moving cartoon of a mad witch chasing a rather wild looking centaur with a diaper and clothing in her arms. The centaur looked to crazy to be Cyrus and the witch to wild to be Hermione.   
  
The article read:  
  
'Witch to adopt Centaur child  
  
It seems yesterday someone from the Beast division in the Department for the Regulation and Control of Magical Creatures visited a young Witch named Hermione Granger. He requested that she register the pet centaur that's she's been keeping for many years (and adhere to some codes for keeping it). She refused claiming the centaur was not her pet, but her CHILD.   
  
Now you may think a request like this could only come from a fool. But in fact Miss Granger (a former top grade student of _Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry_) has been called one of the greatest wizard minds of out time. However, like many geniuses, seems to be quite mad. This is not the first time she's tried to make a creature act against his nature. She once formed a group called spew.'  
  
At this Ron had to stop and laugh. He could hear Hermione in his head saying '_not spew Ron, S-P-E-W_.' He continued reading:  
  
'Miss Granger actually tried to cause a rebellion amongst the perfectly happy and well taken care of House-Elves of Hogwarts. They weren't fool enough to follow. Unfortunately for the young centaur, he's been brainwashed from birth to believe himself human. He actually calls Miss Granger mother.   
  
I think it's clear it will serve this beast best interest to be separated from the witch and this may happen very soon. For the first time ever the centaur liaison office was used by none other than the centaur boy's centaur father. Lets hope there will soon be a happy reunion between these two creatures, who were unfortunately separated by a desperate and lonely woman.'  
  
"Have you read this?" Ron asked as Hermione came in the room.   
  
"Yes," Hermione said. "It's all lies or at least the truth is twisted enough to make it a lie."  
  
"Is it true mum?" Cyrus asked. "Do I have a centaur dad who wants me?"  
  
"Yes, apparently you do."  
  
"So what happens?"  
  
"Hermione just got finish talking with the head of the department," Ginny told Cyrus. "There's going to be a trial and they're going to decide if it's best for you to stay with Hermione or go to your father."  
  
"Unless..." Hermione added. "You want to go to your father."  
  
Cyrus looked confused and didn't say anything for a long time. "I'll get my things, so we can go home," Cyrus said and left the room.   
  
"I'll help you," Ron told Hermione. "With research or whatever. I have to make a stop first, I'll meet you at your house."  
  
"Thank you," Hermione said and she gave him a polite kiss on the cheek.  
  
She caught a grin on Ginny's face.   
  
"What?" Hermione said.   
  
"The magic's back?" Ginny asked.   
  
"Don't get to excited. You know how we are. Highs and lows, no middle ground."  
  
"Maybe this time will be different," Ginny said.   
  
"Maybe, but lets worry about Cyrus first."  
  
  
  
~~~~"~~~~  
  
  
  
Ron and Ginny spent most of the night pouring over case files with Hermione. Not that there was ever a case (at least not one that they could find) of an interspecies custody battle. Cyrus was sent to bed at his usual time and asked for a bedtime story, which he hadn't since he'd learn to read on his own. So Hermione read to him. They all decided to go to sleep and start back on research early in the morning. Hermione gave Ron some blankets to sleep on the couch and then went to Cyrus room. She sat in the chair where she had read to him and watched him sleep. In the middle of the night, Ginny found her there.   
  
"Hermione, you need rest," Ginny said.   
  
"I know," Hermione replied. "Do you think I'm mad, for fighting for him."  
  
"No," Ginny said. "I love him too. But Ron has a point. One day he's going to grow up. And he can't live within these walls forever. He'll never forget that you were his mother, but sooner or later you'll have to let him go."  
  
"I know that he'll have to go one day and I fully intend to do so."  
  
"But when Hermione?"  
  
Hermione didn't answer.   
  
"Get some sleep Hermione," Ginny said leaving.   
  
  
Hermione awoke in the chair in Cyrus's room. Her body was stiff from sleeping upright. She walked out the room and heard some familiar laughter. She recognized the voices as Cyrus and Ron. They were shouting commands to Chess players. She walked to the dinning room door and peeked in. The two sitting across from each other across the board. She smiled at the two of them. They hadn't noticed her at all so she slipped away and left them alone.  
  
"Checkmate," Cyrus said. "I win."  
  
"I let you win," Ron replied.   
  
Cyrus laughed knowing he hadn't. "Mum told me you were pretty good at Wizards Chess."  
  
"Does she talk about me often?"  
  
"About you, Harry, school... wish I was going to Hogwarts one day. It sounds like it's a place you never forget."  
  
"Well, with all that happened to us there, it's kind of hard to forget."  
  
"Promise me something," Cyrus said. "Promise you'll look out for her when they take me away."  
  
"Cyrus we don't know that--"  
  
"I know," Cyrus said. "If my centaur dad wants me, they're not going to leave me with a witch. Especially after that article in the _Daily Prophet_."  
  
"You're a smart kid Cyrus."  
  
"I'm still scared. I don't know anything about living like a centaur. What if they never think of me as one of them? What if my dad doesn't like me once he sees who I am."  
  
"If your centaur father bothered to come to the ministry at all, I'm sure he has every intention of making it okay for you once you go home with him."  
  
"Thanks Ron," Cyrus replied. "So you will take care of mum?"  
  
"I'll do my best."  
  
"Thank you."  
  
"You don't ever have to thank me for doing anything for Hermione."  
  
Cyrus collected his Wizards chess set and went off to put it away. Ron headed into the kitchen where he smelled breakfast cooking.  
  
"You've done an excellent job with Cyrus," Ron said to Hermione. "He beat me at Wizard's Chess, you have yet to accomplish that."  
  
Hermione grinned.   
  
"He'll be okay when he goes back."  
  
"When?" Hermione questioned. "You've already given up on us."  
  
"No, you're son said something to me and he had point. If his proper parent wants him, why would they let him stay with a witch?"  
  
"Cyrus said that?"  
  
"Yes, and no I didn't tell him to say it."  
  
"I didn't say you did," Hermione snapped.   
  
"Hermione," Ginny said entering the room. "It's arrived," she said handing her a letter. "It's about the hearing."  
  
  
  
-End Chapter 2-  
  
  
5-25-2003


	3. Going Home

Title: Hermione Granger and the Centaur Boy   
Author: EV /Rhonda Weasley  
E-Mail: lady_vader21@yahoo.com  
Timeline: future fic, post-Hogwarts years  
  
  
Chapter Three: Going Home  
Summary: Hermione deals with the possibility of losing the child she loves. 

* * *

It had been a long trial. Several articles had been featured in the Daily Prophet and after two reporters met the young centaur, they were much kinder. The wizard and witch community who kept up with the events had certainly become split between those who thought Cyrus should stay and those who thought he belonged with his centaur family. But the day they would get the final decision, Hermione and Ginny had a sense of what that decision would be. The base of their argument was that Cyrus' life style hadn't equipped him for life with centaurs in the wild. This argument had been used against them to point out how this would be a disservice to Cyrus in the end. All the arguments Hermione had heard from Ron. So they sat and listened to the ruling knowing what it would be, but hoping it would be something else. It went as follows:  
  
_"It is my finding that the centaur named Cyrus shall be returned to the care of his father, Raine, and his father's herd. It is the place where he rightfully belongs. Lacking a place for him among his own, we may have considered putting him in the care of Miss Granger. But that is not the case. We sympathize with you Miss Granger. Centaurs are so human like in there appearance and there intelligence, there is not doubt that it is possible to love one as you would a human child. However, his proper place is among other Centaurs. Arrangements for the transfer of custody will be made by the Department for the Regulation and Control of Magical Creatures."_  
  
  
~~~~~~`~~~~~~  
  
  
  
"You knew this day would come. At least you know where he'll be," Ginny said to Hermione.   
  
They'd been home for an hour and Cyrus had been in his room deciding what he would take with him when he left.   
  
"He's near Hogwarts, maybe you'll get a chance to see him again."  
  
"Maybe," Hermione said sadly. "I should make sure he's ready."  
  
Hermione went into Cyrus' room. She expected to see Cyrus gathering his things, but he seemed to be unpacking.   
  
"What are you doing?"  
  
"Centaurs don't wear cloaks and play with toys."  
  
"No they don't," Hermione said. "But if you want to take them..."  
  
"No," Cyrus interrupted. "I have to go, I want to be like the others."  
  
"You don't have to be anything but you."  
  
"I know," Cyrus said. "Thanks Hermione... excuse me, Miss Hermione."  
  
"Hermione? But you've always called me."   
  
"Mum, I know. But now..."  
  
"You don't want me to be your mother?"  
  
"Of course I do," Cyrus said. "But I didn't think you would want..."  
  
"Cyrus, to me you'll always be my son, no matter where you are. I love you."  
  
Cyrus smiled. "You love him too." She would have asked 'Him who?', but she knew without asking. It was a statement of fact, not a question at all. Sometimes it was like Cyrus could see right inside of you and sense things about you.   
  
"Where is he?" Cyrus asked.   
  
"Ron had to work," Hermione replied.   
  
"So I don't get to say good-bye."  
  
"I'll tell him you said good-bye."  
  
"It's okay to love him Mum," Cyrus said. "Just like it was okay to love me."  
  
"Have you been talking to Ginny?"  
  
"No, but I can see it. I think you should marry him mum. That way you won't be lonely after I'm gone and you can have a real son."  
  
"And what are you? A fake son."  
  
Cyrus shrugged.   
  
"You're not." Hermione kissed his forehead. "Even if I get married someday, even I have many sons of my own. I will never forget you."   
  
"Me too Mum."  
  
"Hold on, I have something for you."  
  
Hermione left the room. A few minutes later she returned with a long thin brown box. She gave it to Cyrus. He opened it and took out a wand.   
  
"Cool," Cyrus said. "But mum, I'm not..."  
  
"A wizard, or human, I know."  
  
"But the law... the law about non-humans and..."  
  
"Well you're not going to use it are you?"  
  
"No."  
  
"I just want you to have something of mine. That was my first wand, it got me through all my years at Hogwarts. Keep it in the box if you wish, but I had a lot of good fortune with that wand and I want you to have the same."  
  
"I'll take my blankets and I'll keep it wrapped in them and I'll keep it safe."  
  
Cyrus took the wand and wrapped it in his bundle. Ginny entered the room with her eyes downcast.   
  
"They're here for you Cyrus," Ginny said. "A couple of handlers from the Beast Division."  
  
"Did you tell them Cyrus doesn't need to be handled?"  
  
"Yes, but I think that's just a precaution."  
  
"They're worried you won't let me go," Cyrus said. He grabbed his small bundle and left his room with the two women following him.   
  
  
  
  
  
It was night when they arrived on the Hogwarts ground with Cyrus. When the handlers came to pick up Cyrus, they didn't intend for Hermione and Ginny to come along to drop off Cyrus to his father, but somehow Cyrus had convinced them to let her come along. As brave as Cyrus seemed, Hermione could see the fear in his eyes as they entered the Hogwarts gates. His father, Raine and a few members of the herd were waiting around the back of Hagrid's Hut. To be quite honest, Raine was quite a handsome beast himself (or at least Hermione thought so). He had Cyrus's eyes, though they didn't seem as warm. And the same wave black hair. But there was something in Cyrus that seemed far removed from these large magnificent beast, something that was unique.   
  
"Cyrus," Raine said in his deep thundering voice.   
  
"Father," Cyrus replied. 

As brave as Cyrus had been all day, he looked quite afraid of moving. The always graceful Cyrus seem to stumble on his four legs as he walked up to him. Raine said nothing else. None of the other centaurs spoke. They turned to go into the forbidden forest. Cyrus took a last look at Hermione and followed the adult centaurs. He looked so small next to those great big horse like bodies.  
  
"He's in good hands Hermione," Ginny said. "He's where he belongs."  
  
"I know," Hermione replied. But she couldn't stop the tears that fought there way to her face.Hermione hadn't expected to cry. Ginny put an arm around her and walked her off the Hogwarts grounds.   
  
  
  
  
  
~~~~~"~~~~~~  
  
  
When they got home, Hermione said she needed some time to herself. Ginny decided to go out for awhile and give Hermione some space. Hermione went into Cyrus' room and began to pack up his toys. She knew she couldn't stand to look at them anymore without the urge to cry coming on again. She didn't know what she would do with them, but she knew she had to move on. But with each toy she picked up she remembered some moment with Cyrus and eventually she just sat down and held one of his toy Unicorns in her hand. It was a stuffed toy, one of the first she'd gotten for him. He'd slept with it almost every night. Hermione cuddled the toy unicorn.   
  
"You'll be okay, I know it," she said to herself.   
  
"He's gone?" an unexpected voice questioned.   
  
"Yes," Hermione replied looking up at Ron. "That should make you happy, considering you never agreed he should be here."  
  
"I think it's for the better, but I'm certainly not happy."  
  
"If it's for the better, why aren't you happy?" Hermione questioned.   
  
"You're hurting," Ron said kneeling down to her. "I'll never be happy about that."  
  
"Oh Ron," she said throwing her arms around him. "Why can't you be this sweet all the time?"  
  
"Because then you wouldn't appreciate it," Ron replied. Hermione laughed a little   
  
"I'm glad you're here," Hermione said leaning back to look at him.   
  
Ron ran a finger along her cheek and then he kissed her cheek and then the corner of her mouth. Hermione then met his lips in a short delicate kiss. Suddenly Hermione turned away.   
  
"We shouldn't," Hermione said after there lips parted.   
  
"Why not?" Ron asked.   
  
"We know what happens from here."  
  
"Hermione," Ron said. "Stop thinking so much."  
  
He captured her lips in a more intense kiss. And for a moment she forgot there was anything else but Ron and his warmth.   
  
  
  
  
Ginny returned to a quiet house and decided to peak in on her friend. She thought maybe she was still in Cyrus' room, but she saw the boxes she was using to put away the boys things were half packed. Then she peaked in Hermione's room and was shocked to find her asleep, but not alone... with Ron... and looking as if they... She thought about it no further, just smiled to herself and slipped away.   
  
Hermione was still sleeping soundly when Ginny got up in the morning, but Ron was awake. They shared a knowing glance as they crossed paths that morning.   
  
"It's none of your business baby sister," Ron said before she said a word.   
  
"You'd be a fool to let her go again," Ginny told Ron. "Don't mess up."  
  
"I won't."  
  
"I mean it, don't you hurt her Ronald Weasley."  
  
"I won't," Ron told Ginny. "I love her Ginny."  
  
"I know," Ginny replied with a smile. "I knew it the first year you came home talking about her and how crazy she made you."  
  
Ron and Ginny both heard Hermione enter the room and turned toward her.   
  
"Good morning," Ginny said.   
  
"Good Morning Ginny," Hermione replied.   
  
Ron walked up to her and tried to give her a simple kiss on the cheek, but she turned away. Both Weasleys seemed perplexed by this response.   
  
"Can I have a moment alone with him?" Hermione asked Ginny.   
  
"Sure," Ginny said.  
  
Hermione led Ron into the dinning room where they sat opposite each other. 

"What's wrong?"  
  
"Ron," Hermione said nervously. "I lost a child."  
  
"I know," Ron replied.   
  
"Last night, all I wanted was to escaped that pain."  
  
"I know that," Ron replied.   
  
"And I'm glad you were here for me. I appreciate it, but I'm not ready to deal with us. I need to get away and sort some things out."  
  
"I understand, I can get some time off work, I'm in need of a holiday and..."  
  
"Ron," Hermione interrupted. "I need to do this alone."  
  
"But what about us? I don't want to lose us again."  
  
"Neither do I, but I can't clear my head right now. like this?"  
  
"Why does your head need to be clear?!" Ron asked more sharply then intended. "You know if you love me or not!"  
  
"I don't know anything anymore," Hermione replied. "Everything is tangled up in this loss, this hurt. I cannot deal with anything else or anyone else until I deal with it."  
  
"Fine," Ron replied trying not to reveal the bitterness in his voice. "I don't know why I try. You're impossible."  
  
He stormed out of the room. Ginny looked up from the paper she was reading as he stormed past her.   
  
"Ron?"   
  
"Don't worry. This time I wasn't the one to say good-bye."  
  
Ron left through the front door. Ginny put down the paper and went to Hermione. Ginny noticed she was holding Cyrus' toy unicorn.   
  
"Cyrus is gone Hermione. I'm sure he misses you too, but you have to let go."  
  
"I know that Ginny," Hermione replied. "I just need time. I'm sorry if I hurt your brother."  
  
"Ron will be all right. He just needs to calm down. I'm worried about you."  
  
"Well you don't have to. I'm going away for awhile."  
  
"When will you be back?"  
  
"I don't know, tell you're brother I'm sorry."  
  
Hermione got up and left the room.   
  
-End Chapter 3-  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
5-30-2003


	4. Reunion

Title: Hermione Granger and the Centaur Boy   
Author: EV /Rhonda Weasley  
E-Mail: lady_vader21@yahoo.com  
Timeline: future fic, post-Hogwarts years  
  
  
Chapter Four: Reunion   
Summary: Hermione is teaching at Hogwarts when she finds Cyrus again. 

* * *

  
Time really does heal wounds and Hermione's came to be healed. Hermione spent a year in France. She was offered a teaching position at Hogwarts and that brought her back 'home'. She found she quite enjoyed teaching. It was odd being on the other end of things, the one catching kids in the hall instead of being caught, the one giving and taking away points to the houses, and sitting at the staff table with the other Professors instead of at the Gryffindor table with students. But after a year she felt quite at home in the position and remained.   
  
Currently she was running a little late. She had missed the sorting, which was always disappointing. As she entered the Great Hall she noticed she wasn't the only person missing from the staff table. She said hello to a few of the students as she made her way to her seat next to headmistress McGonagall.   
  
"Miss Granger, you have to stop wandering around looking for him," McGonagall whispered. "Centaurs stay away from Hogwarts, the forest they live in just happens to be close."  
  
"I know," Hermione replied. "I can't help hoping, though he's probably learned to live on his own by now. I just wish I could see him one more time."  
  
"Well, there's nothing wrong with wishing if your sensible about it."  
  
"You should have seen him. He was really the most amazing child."  
  
"I'm sure he was," McGonagall replied. "Well, I can a assure you there will be at least one pleasant reunion for you this year."  
  
"Is Harry--"  
  
"No, not Mr. Potter. He's still in Rome."  
  
"Oh," Hermione replied. The other name she wanted to ask about was on the tip of her tongue, but wouldn't say it. She hoped he had forgiven her for being so cold the last time they spoke.   
  
  
Hermione noticed a lot of giggling and whispering amongst girls in her first class. While she was pulling out her notes she caught part of a conversation at the front of her classroom.  
  
"He's sooooooo cute," a girl near the front of the room said to the girl beside her.   
  
"I can't wait for flying lessons," her friend added.  
  
"Well right now I hope you can pay attention to my class," Hermione said.   
  
"Sorry Professor," the girls said.   
  
Hermione tried not to smile as she remembered the year they had Lockhart. She hoped whoever the girls were talking about was a little more worthy of their gushing.   
  
  
  
Maybe it was curiosity, maybe it was a sense she had deep inside. But for whatever reason she came down to peak at the first years flying lesson. She saw the back of him first, but he had a build that was all to familiar. She noticed she'd let his beautiful red hair grow back in. He turned and she got a good look at him, he looked even better than when she saw him last. Hermione watched the lesson at a distance, she didn't want to disturb it. But he caught sight of her midway through the lesson and came over to greet her when it was done.   
  
"So you're the new Lockhart," Hermione said.   
  
"Don't compare me to him," Ron replied. They stood looking at each other for awhile.   
  
"I see you grew your hair back."  
  
"Yeah."  
  
Another silence.   
  
"You look happier than when I saw you last," Ron said.   
  
"I am. I'm sorry about the way I ran out on you."  
  
"I understand," Ron replied.   
  
"Why are you teaching, of all things, flying lessons?"  
  
"The job was available."  
  
"But what about 'Accidental Magical Reversal'? I thought you loved it."   
  
"You know, it was a crazy job, called away at a moments notice."  
  
"I thought that's what you liked," Hermione said. "The excitement. You used to have such stories."  
  
"It was fun, but I'm looking forward to different things now."  
  
They smiled at each other and walked into the school talking.   
  
  
  
  
  
As night fell on Hogwarts it found Hermione and Ron strolling outside. They had been talking for hours as if nothing had gone wrong between them at all. Even though they knew they weren't students any longer, they still felt like Filch should be coming out at any moment to threaten them. And being together is really what made it feel like the old days. The only thing that was missing was Harry, but they talked so much about him and the three of them that it made Hogwarts feel like home again.  
  
"I can't believe girls are whispering about you in hallways," Hermione said to him as they strolled across the grounds.   
  
"Well, I'm no Harry Potter," Ron replied. "And I'm quite sure there's more than a few boys around here whispering about Professor Granger."  
  
"I don't even want to think about that," Hermione said with a laugh.   
  
Suddenly they both saw a flash near Hagrid's Hut.   
  
"What the -- " Ron began.   
  
"Hagrid's not there," Hermione said. "I saw him inside."  
  
They looked at each other and ran toward the hut. It was possible a student was back there. They heard something making a run for it into the forbidden forest.   
  
"You think a student would run into the forbidden forest?" Hermione asked.   
  
"We did it," Ron replied.   
  
Both of them pulled out thier wands, just in case, and headed cautiously after the sound. The further they got from Hogwarts the darker it seemed to be. Suddenly Ron saw Hermione stumble in front of him.   
  
"Lumos," he said shedding a bit of light on the area and then helping her up.   
  
They could now both see what Hermione had fallen over.  
  
"School books," Ron said. "So it was a student."  
  
"I don't think so," Hermione said taking a closer look at the books. These are a bit out of date."  
  
"Not everyone can afford the latest editions Hermione," Ron said sounding a little hurt.   
  
"I know that," Hermione replied. "But these aren't even proper used books. Pages are missing from this one and this one doesn't even have a cover." Hermione lit her own wand and examined the ground further. "These aren't human footprints."  
  
"Hoof prints," Ron said looking at them closely.   
  
"With the weight clearly on the front. These are centaur tracks."  
  
"You don't think? But where would a centaur get a wand?"  
  
Hermione looked away.   
  
"You didn't? You didn't give Cyrus a wand! Hermione, you know better!"  
  
"Don't yell at me, I'm not your child," Hermione spat back.   
  
"I'm sorry, but you know..."  
  
"The law, yes. I know I shouldn't have given Cyrus a wand. I didn't think any harm would come of it, I didn't think he could use it. It was just a keepsake that's all."  
  
"Should we keep looking?" Ron asked.   
  
"No," Hermione said. "He's obviously self teaching himself magic. He'll be back and we'll get another chance at it."  
  
"Think we should take the books?"  
  
"No, leave them."  
  
  
  
~~~~~"~~~~~  
  
  
The next day, Hermione was distracted. She found it hard to focus. Mary Bunton (who reminded her a little of herself) corrected her no less than three times. Of course, several girls assumed her sudden and unusual feeble mindedness was linked to the not-so-hidden relationship between herself and Ronald Weasley. None of them could have guessed the truth, that her mind was on a little, perhaps not so little now, centaur out there somewhere in the Forbidden Forest.   
  
That night she returned, alone, to Hagrid's Hut. He was there, so she went in, sat with him, and told him what she and Ron has seen and found in the forest. She also told him about the wand she gifted to Cyrus.   
  
"Should've never gave him them books," Hagrid muttered.   
  
"You gave them to him?"  
  
"Saw him once while I was out there lookin' for... sumthin' for class. 'e looked real sad, said 'e missed readin'. So I gave him some old school books and a couple books my dad gave me."  
  
"You gave him the books, I gave him the wand, and he learned magic."   
  
Hermione smiled even though she knew she shouldn't be happy about it.   
  
"There are things you don't know 'ermione. Get your wand back and then leave Cyrus to his dad."  
  
"Listen I know it's quite unusual, but he has magical talent. Perhaps he was meant to use it. Rules were bent for you, weren't they? You were half giant. Why should Cyrus' case be any different if he has the ability?"  
  
"It's just... different."  
  
  
  
Hermione left Hagrid's and started back toward the school. Then suddenly she stopped and turned toward Hagrid's again, but this time she followed the path she and Ron had taken the night before. She just wondered if the books were where she left them. She soon reached the place in the forest where they had left the books. The books were gone.   
  
"You know it's dangerous," a voice began causing her to jump. "You shouldn't go into the Forbidden Forest alone."  
  
"Ron," Hermione said turning toward him. "Of course I know that. I was just curious."  
  
"What happened to the Hermione that always followed the rules?"  
  
"I think she disappeared around the time she practiced potion making in a haunted girl's lavatory."  
  
Ron smiled. "So he came back for the books? He's definitely your son. I suppose we should look for fresh tracks if we're going to find him tonight."   
  
They found his path easy to follow. He'd obviously gathered the books and rushed off. After walking for about 30 minutes they heard a muttering that sounded a lot like a kid practicing magic words. They then saw what appeared to be a spark. It led them right to a clearing where they found a young centaur practicing with a wand. He looked a bit older, he was a little taller, and his coat was silvery/white depending on how the moonlight hit it, but there was no doubt he was Cyrus. He was so different, yet the same beautiful little baby she'd always loved.   
  
"Cyrus," Hermione called, not thinking he might be scared off.   
  
She stepped into his view, but he never turned around. He immediately started to run. Then suddenly, as if he knew better, he stopped, but he didn't turn to look at her.   
  
"Mum?" he questioned simply.   
  
"Cyrus, I missed you."  
  
Cyrus turned and revealed he was crying. Hermione was crying too. He galloped toward her, she ran toward him. Ron stepped into the clearing, but stayed out of the way and let the reuion.   
  
"Let me look at you," Hermione said as they stepped apart. His always odd star shapped birthmark was more defined than ever. His arms were strong. In his face he looked more like a young teenager than a boy, but he was only eight years old.   
  
"I missed you Cyrus," Hermione said.   
  
"Me to, but what are you doing here?"  
  
"I teach at the school?"  
  
"Really?" Cyrus said sounding more boyish that he looked. "Cool, I can see you then?"  
  
"You still want to?"  
  
"Of course," he said excitedly, but then a suddenly sadness swept over his face. "But... I can't."  
  
"Why?"  
  
"If I had never come back here, I wouldn't have known the things I know... about myself, about who I am. I know I shouldn't be practicing your wizard magic at all, but I enjoyed it and there are so few things to enjoy anymore. But if anyone knew, if my dad found out I was anywhere near Hogwarts... I just can't see you."  
  
"Why not, your father wouldn't have to know."  
  
"I'm not like other centaurs mum."  
  
"I've always thought that," Hermione said. "I mean I couldn't figure out what it was, but I knew you were special. And now we know, you were meant to practice magic as much as anyone."  
  
"I can't go to Hogwarts, it's never going to happen."  
  
"Why not?"  
  
"I'm not human," Cyrus said. "I better go home. Dad'll be looking for me soon."  
  
"Can I at least send you letters? Using one of the school's owls."  
  
"I'd like that, I suppose we could manage it," Cyrus replied. "I am happy to see you mum. I never forgot you."  
  
He suddenly looked over at Ron.   
  
"Hi Mr. Ron," he said with a smile.   
  
"Hello Cyrus."  
  
Cyrus turned and ran off into the woods. His speed was incredible.   
  
"He grew up so much," Hermione said.   
  
"Kids do that Hermione," Ron said. "How old do you think he is, in human years?"  
  
"I don't know, 13 maybe," Hermione said. "I still remember giving him a bottle for the first time. He grew up well didn't he."  
  
"Yeah, thanks to you."  
  
"I get the feeling there's something he's not saying. He knows something about himself that he won't share with me."  
  
-End Chapter 4-  


  
5-30-2003


	5. The Truth about Cyrus

Title: Hermione Granger and the Centaur Boy   
Author: EV /Rhonda Weasley  
E-Mail: lady_vader21@yahoo.com  
Timeline: future fic, post-Hogwarts years  
  
  
Chapter Five: The truth about Cyrus   
Summary: Hermione discovers a missing piece to Cyrus' past. 

* * *

  
  
"It's just unheard of Miss Granger," McGonagall said. "Centaurs are not admitted to Hogwarts."   
  
Hermione had requested to speak with the Headmistress in private. She was quite shocked when she suggested Cyrus be admitted to Hogwarts.  
  
"Hagrid is half giant and Fleur--"  
  
"But they were both part human also. No one doubts this young centaur is as intelligent as you or I, and he may have magical talent never seen before in a centaur, but he's still--"  
  
"Not human," Hermione finished, disappointment was written all over her face.   
  
"I advise you to get your wand back," McGonagall said. "And the schoolbooks too."  
  
"Thanks for listening."  
  
Hermione got up and left the room.   
  
  
  
Hermione went up in to the Owlery after her conversation with the headmistress. She heard someone else enter soon after. She had no need to hide, there was nothing unusual about sending out a letter, so she didn't worry about the other. However, the other person turned out to be Ron and not a student.   
  
"Hey Hermione, I was looking for you."  
  
"I'm just sending Cyrus a letter. He wants to meet me tonight."  
  
"Where were you earlier?"  
  
"I was talking to McGonagall, trying to convince her Cyrus belonged at Hogwarts."  
  
"Are you mad?!"   
  
Hermione shot him a fierce look.   
  
"How much did you tell her?" Ron asked.   
  
"Everything," Hermione replied. "She needed to understand the situation." she sighed. "I'm so SICK of people reminding me he's not human."  
  
"Well, he's not." 

Hermione rolled her eyes.  
  
  
  
Hermione and Ron headed into the Forbidden Forest together that night. She was suppose to meet Cyrus in the same place she had spoken to him before. They were both surprised when they stepped into the forest and found that Cyrus wasn't alone. He was with a very angry adult centaur. Cyrus looked like he wanted to crawl into a corner and hide from the entire scene.  
  
"It's Raine," Hermione said softly to Ron. "It's Cyrus' father."  
  
"Tell them," the adult centaur said pushing Cyrus forward.   
  
"My father says I can't see you anymore. Or write to you."  
  
"You had no business ever contacting him again," Rain said.  
  
"I'm sorry sir, but I love Cyrus as I would a son and I just missed him. And..."  
  
"He is not your son!!" Raine replied sharply. "He is not your kind!! And you should never have given him this."  
  
Raine shoved the wand at her. She took it from him.   
  
"You are right, of course," Hermione said. "I should not have given him a wand, but I didn't know what else to give him that was close to me."  
  
"Nothing! You should have given him nothing and let him go."  
  
Hermione glanced over at Cyrus who seemed to be fighting tears as he held onto a brave face.   
  
"Father, she doesn't understand," Cyrus told him. "She doesn't understand why you feel you need to protect me."  
  
"It's not for her to understand! Her eyes tell her all she needs to know."  
  
"Your eyes do not even tell you all you need to know," Cyrus replied. "She's my mother."  
  
"She is not! Your mother is dead and you shall not replace her with this inferior creature."  
  
"This what!" Ron said stepping forward. "How dare you--"  
  
Hermione grabbed his arm and pulled him back. "Don't," she whispered.   
  
"He's insulting you," Ron said. "But where was he all those years you were taking care of Cyrus."  
  
"Cyrus was stolen from me," Raine said. "And I owe nothing to his kidnapper."  
  
Ron was ready to rush at the centaur now, but Hermione held him back again. The last thing Hermione needed was to have to levitate Ron back to the hospital wing. She could see herself trying to explain how he got into a nasty row with a huge centaur.  
  
"I'm sorry that we couldn't work this out Raine," Hermione said keeping a hold of Ron's arm. "We'll go now."  
  
Hermione led Ron out of the Forbidden Forest and tried not to look back at Cyrus in the process. She only stopped when she and Ron were back on the Hogwarts grounds. It was only then Ron noticed she was crying.   
  
"He's right," Hermione said. "I kidnapped him."  
  
"What? You did not!"  
  
"I just about snatched him from Hagrid's hut," Hermione said. "He would have grown up with his father if I hadn't."  
  
"Hermione, you don't know that, I don't know that. What we do know is that you did an amazing job raising Cyrus. And you were right about him all along...he's special." Ron reached over and wiped away a tear. Hermione looked up at him and there eyes locked on each other. "He had no right talking to you like that after all you did for his son. He's more yours than he is anyone else's, I don't care who's blood is running through his veins."  
  
Hermione couldn't speak for a moment. As annoying as Ron could be, when he said something that sweet it got to her. And in a moment suddenly she was a little girl falling in love for the first time all over again.   
  
"You were going to attack a centaur to defend my honor. Are you mad?!"  
  
"Yes, but I thought that's what you liked about me. It's what I love about you."  
  
"I love you too Ron," Hermione replied. And then she gave him a gentle kiss and they held each other for a long time.  
  
"Mum," a voice said emerging from the forest.  
  
"Cyrus," Hermione replied turning away from Ron.   
  
"I don't have much time and I have a lot to tell you. Can we go to Hagrids, alone?"  
  
"Sure," Hermione said. "I'll see you later Ron. We'll talk."  
  
Hermione and the young centaur walked away together.   
  
"What about your father?" Hermione asked.   
  
"Don't worry. I've taken care of it."  
  
They knocked on Hagrid's door. He saw them, looked around, and let them in.   
  
"Cyrus, your dad wouldn't want you 'ere," Hagrid said.   
  
"I don't want to cause any more trouble," Hermione said. "Especially after being accused of being your kidnapper."  
  
"That was me own fault," Hagrid began.   
  
"No, it wasn't, my father did abandon me. Hagrid you know part of the story, but not all," Cyrus looked at Hermione. "You've always said I was different, you're right. And the thing that makes me different is the reason my father didn't know what to do with me at first." Cyrus sighed. "Mother, did you know there was a time Centaurs were no better than talking monsters?"  
  
"No," Hermione replied.   
  
"Centaurs were once very wild and horrid creatures. They had no morals or civility at all. They kidnapped women, raided towns, and often had to be handled and put down like rabid dogs. Then one was made special."  
  
"Chiron?"  
  
"Yes, your myths of him are somewhat skewed, but he existed. He was special, but he was made that way by the grace of a unicorn. He was only the first, not the last. The whole race was saved by this magnificent creature... creature isn't even the right word for it. See a unicorn is more that just a pretty horse with a horn. I don't know a word that truly captures what the unicorn is. But it is for these reasons the unicorn is sacred to the centaurs. They are to be respected and loved, but never loved selfishly and never possessed. But my father wanted to posses one. He came to love her in all the wrong ways, but she refused any attempt he made at making her his. However, in the end she pitied him and she gave him a gift, a son."  
  
"You?" Hermione said. But she could tell this was no shock at all to Hagrid, he'd known all along what Cyrus' mother had been. For her the pieces fell into place all of a sudden, the mark on his forehead, the changing color of his coat, it should have been clear signs of the unicorn blood in him.  
  
"A unicorn always knows another unicorn," Cyrus said. "I saw one, a week after you left me. He looked at me so long, trying to figure out how it could be and we both knew we were the same even though we were different."  
  
"But why does your father hide it, if unicorns are sacred."  
  
"Because I represent a great sin on his part. I represent a love that never should have been. And my birth killed my mother, killed a sacred unicorn. He wants know one to know where I came from, because then that death would be his burden. And he wants know one else to have me, because I am all that's left of her."  
  
"Then why did he abandon you."  
  
"Perhaps he was hoping that I would disappear. He said he feared me the first time he saw me. He said he feared the unicorns would see what he had done, how he had mixed his own impure blood with theirs. He felt they would decide it would be better if centaurs were made ignorant and savage once again. That night all he saw was a baby that killed a unicorn."  
  
"You know you didn't kill your mother, right? No matter what your father believes."  
  
Cyrus shrugged. "I know why my father cannot really love me and doesn't want me to be loved."  
  
"But you are loved Cyrus. I love you."  
  
"I know," Cyrus replied. "I have to go now."   
  
Cyrus left Hagrid's hut and Hermione sat still for a moment taking it all in.   
  
"You knew he was a unicorn," Hermione said. "Why didn't you tell me?"  
  
"Haf-unicorn. And what good would it have done?" Hagrid asked.  
  
"We don't know what he is, what he could become, it's not fair assume he belongs with the centaurs."  
  
"I only knew he wasn't a centaur cause he was bleedin' when I found him. I'm a haf and haf meself, it's hard bein' between two worlds. Cyrus looks mostly like a centaur so I figured it was the best fit and I thought his dad would understand."  
  
"Did you tell Raine where to find him?" Hermione asked.   
  
He nodded.   
  
"Why did you let me keep him so many years?"  
  
"I didn't know how powerful 'e was, until I found the wolf who attacked him. 'e's a sad creature. It's like he's nearly dead, but he's not. Won't eat, can't die, right pitiful."  
  
"Good. That's what he gets for attacking Cyrus."  
  
"That's not fair 'ermione. Can't 'spect a wolf to act like anything but a wolf. When I saw that, I thought it was best his dad 'andle him. So I went lookin' and then I told him how I found his son."  
  
"His father left him in the middle of the woods where he was attacked by a wolf and you thought he would be a better parent than me?"  
  
"I didn't know about all that stuff with centaurs and unicorns. I didn't know how his dad felt about him. Thought maybe he lost track of him, thought maybe he missed him."  
  
"You should have told me what he was."  
  
"What would it change? Cyrus still isn't human."  
  
"So, what's so great about being human. Maybe he'll be a great influence of good on us all," Hermione said. "I always knew he was special and now that I know how special, I just have to decide how to get him back."  
  
  
  
  
  
  


6-4-2003


	6. The new Cyrus

Title: Hermione Granger and the Centaur Boy   
Author: EV /Rhonda Weasley  
E-Mail: lady_vader21@yahoo.com  
Timeline: future fic, post-Hogwarts years  
  
  
Chapter Six: The New Cyrus   
Summary: Hermione works on bringing Cyrus home again. 

* * *

"He's what?" Ron asked sitting opposite Hermione in her classroom. Ginny was there too, Hermione had sent her an Owl. The Christmas Holidays had come and most of the students weren't at school, so Hermione had time to talk to her two friends. 

"I should have known," Ginny added. 

"I know his coat... it was so obvious," Hermione added 

"And that mark on his head," Ginny said. "It seemed to be a symbol of something." 

"Don't you see, we were all wrong, he's not a centaur or a unicorn either, he's something else." 

"But he's still not human," Ron added. "How does this help you or change anything? We studied unicorns in 'Care of Magical Creatures. To most they're just pretty horses." 

"Pretty horses who's blood and hair have powerful magical properties." 

"Why won't you just leave it alone?" Ginny asked. "Centaur, Unicorn, or both, he's where he belongs." 

"If his father loved and wanted him as much as I do, I'd leave it alone. I can't do that knowing what I know about the relationship between them." 

"Well now that you know the truth, maybe you can reason with him," Ron said. 

"You still have the problem you had before," Ginny pointed out. "Centaur, Unicorn, or both, he's a beast." 

"Too bad he isn't an animagus," Ron said to know one in particular. "Then he could just transfigure himself into a human boy." 

Ron started to laugh at his own comment when he saw Hermione's eyes light up. 

"Ron, you're brilliant." 

"Hermione, you can't be thinking..." 

"Why not?" 

"You told me a hundred times in school, it takes years and powerful magic to become a proper animagus and you have to register and..." 

"He has unicorn blood Ron, he IS powerful magic. Besides, I can always transfigure him myself. It's so simple I can't believe it never came to me before." 

"I don't know," Ginny said. "Isn't that wrong, to expect him to live as something he isn't." 

"We don't know what he is or what he can be and we won't know until we give him the chance." 

"But have you ever asked Cyrus if he wants to be human." 

"Of course he wants it. It means he can be with me." 

  


A fresh coat of snow had fallen. Only Hermione's footsteps were seen as she found her way to the greenhouse where Cyrus was waiting to meet her. Despite the lack of clothing, he didn't look cold at all. Still, Hermione offered him her cloak, which he refused. Then she told him about her idea. 

"Human?" he questioned when she was done. "That will be weird." 

"Weird? You grew up with humans." 

"But I'm use to four legs and I'm kind of fond of this body. I think you're beautiful mum, but I always found human shape to be... well... rather odd." 

"But you could come and live with me in my world. Maybe even study magic. I doubt you'd ever be able to be formerly trained, at a school like Hogwarts. But I could teach you... and maybe, if we faked the right papers, I could adopt you." 

Cyrus tried to hide his smile at the thought of this. "I would love that mum, but can I think about it?" 

"Yes," she replied. 

They hugged and Cyrus turned to walk away. Then, suddenly, he turned back. 

"Mum," Cyrus began. "I've always wanted to fly. Sometimes I hide and watch the Quidditch team practice or play a tournament. I always envied them." 

"I'm sure Ron will be first to volunteer to give you a flying lesson. And Harry will show you a trick or two when he visits this summer... if you want that." 

Cyrus looked up at the sky. "I'll let you know." 

Cyrus walked away still looking at the sky. 

  
  
Hermione still hadn't heard from Cyrus when school got back into motion after the Christmas Holiday. Hermione taught classes with Cyrus in the back of her mind. But she was able to concentrate. Almost a month had passed when she got a letter from Cyrus. He asked to meet her near Hagrids that evening and she sent a reply back. 

She left around dinner time and Ron came with her. When they met Cyrus he simply said 'follow me, we have to talk to someone." 

They followed Cyrus deep into the forbidden forest, deeper than they had ever been before, in a direction they had never gone before. Or, at least Hermione had never been in that way before. Ron looked rather nervous. 

"Are you okay Ron?" 

"Lets just say there's someone in this forest I don't fancy meeting again." 

"Don't worry. We're not going anywhere neat Aragog," Cyrus said. He would have asked how the boy knew what he feared, but he didn't. He always believed Cyrus had a 6th sense about certain things. 

Cyrus did turn away from the path they were on and led them through a group of trees. They finally reached a clearing where they saw a fire and a collection of huts. A few adult centaurs were carrying bows and arrows. Two others, who looked older, were talking. 

"Cool," Ron said. "It's a village." 

"Where'd you think we lived, in caves?" 

Well.. yeah," Ron said. 

"At least you're honest," Cyrus said leading them into the village. 

They got a few strange looks. Just then Raine emerged from a hut and came over to them. 

"What are you doing with my son," Raine said to Hermione. 

"We need to talk about Cyrus," Hermione said. 

"There's nothing to talk about, he's home now you need to go home." Raine grabbed his son and started to trot away. 

"Raine," a voice said from behind him. 

Raine turned toward the voice. It came from an older centaur, but not too old. He was going gray, but flecks of gold were in his hair and beard (which covered most of his chest). 

"Sorry sir, I'm trying to get rid of these humans." 

"Well, I wish you wouldn't, I need to talk to them." 

"Yes sir," he said still trying to leave with his son. 

"Cyrus too," the older centaur said. "You I will speak with later." 

"Yes Tarek," Raine said walking away. 

"Come," Tarek said to the group and lead them to his hut at the edge of the centaur village. 

His hut was warm inside. He had all types of star charts spread on the table. 

"Despite what Raine thinks, there are many who know what Cyrus is. It's hard to hide it, but those who could saw the signs the day he was born." 

"Signs?" Hermione said. 

"In the stars," Tarek said. "Great things are expected from Raine's son. What made you name him Cyrus?" 

"I like the name and it means the Sun, the Sun is the center of the universe and he was my center." 

"It's a good name, for the Sun is a star and he will not only be able to read the stars, he will be among them one day." 

"What does that mean?" Ron asked

"You will understand when the time comes," Tarek said. "What you need to know is, Cyrus is a gift to the world, Raine can not see that, guilt and pain have not let him. If he could only let go of his own guilt just the sight of his son could cure him, for he would see that all his mother was, he now is and more. Raine was once a great counselor and healer, people could go to him. He was not always as he is now and those good qualities seem to be in his son. However, he has closed his heart and I no longer know how to heal him. Perhaps Cyrus will know one day, but the signs say his time among the centuars is at an end. He is now meant to be someone else." 

"Someone else for how long?" Hermione asked. "How long before you take him again?" 

"When he returns to us, he will come back to us on his own and he will be what he is meant to become." 

"Which is?" 

"You will understand when the time is right. Take him. I will talk to Raine." 

They left the hut with Cyrus. Raine was waiting for them outside. 

"He will never be like you," Raine said. 

"That's the difference between me and you," Hermione said. "I don't care if he's like me or not. He doesn't have to be human for me to love him." 

"I loved his mother," Raine said. 

"Then why can't you see that she's in him?" 

Hermione saw regret in his eyes for the first time. 

"I was drawn to her," Raine said. "When se was born. I was suppose to take care of him, her words." 

"Unicorns can talk?" Ron asked shocked. 

"It isn't speech like I speak to you now. It's a different understanding. She seemed to slip away as he was given life and I couldn't touch him. I only left him for a day, when I came back for him, he was gone and there was blood and there was the wolf. I had failed her and I tried to forget, but I could not. Then I found out he was alive and I knew I had to fulfill her last request." 

"I don't hate you dad," Cyrus said. "You are my father, I'll always be a part of you, I love you, but I need to be with my mother. This mother. She loves me as much as my real mother would and she only wants the best for me." 

He smiled at his father and something in Raine's eyes seemed to indicate a piece of the pain and guilt had melted away. Then Cyrus led the humans away from the centaur village. As they passed back into the familiar path, a creature emerged from the darkness. Hermione and Ron immediately pulled out thier wands, but Cyrus approached the creature. 

"It's the wolf," Cyrus said as moonlight fell on it. 

The creature was as sad as Hagrid described. There were spots where fur was missing from his coat. He looked deathly ill. He was so thin it was hard to believe he was still alive. 

Cyrus approached it. And it looked at him. 

"Cyrus, don't touch it," Hermione said. 

"It's okay," Cyrus said to his mother. He touched the wolf and it looked at him with pleading eyes. "I think you've suffered enough." 

Suddenly the wolf dropped to the ground. 

"What did you do?" Hermione asked coming to him. 

"I released him from his pain, I think, I don't know how I did it." Cyrus suddenly looked shaken by what he'd done.

"He killed him," Ron said taking a closer look at the wolf. 

"You did a good thing," Hermione said looking into his nervous eyes. 

  
*****  
Hermione had never thought about how different Cyrus would look as a human boy. It seemed so... unnatural, like he wasn't himself. Some of the striking beauty he had as a centaur seemed gone altogether, as well as his grace, and some of his age. He looked 11, younger than he had been as a centaur, older than he should be in human years. 

"I feel off balance," Cyrus said stumbling around the classroom. 

"You have the summer to learn to walk normally." 

Cyrus had spent the end of the school year living with Hagrid. It was decided they would perform the transfiguring just before Hermione went home at the end of the school year, after the students left. 

Cyrus was now walking like he was wearing stilts. He tried to sit in a chair and did it so awkwardly that he almost fell out of it. He picked up the envelope McGonagall had personally handed to him a few hours before. 

"I'm actually going," Cyrus said. "I can't believe I was allowed. I hope I'm in Gryffindor, just like you." 

"Well right now we should just work on trying to get you to walking like a normal boy." 

Cyrus laughed. 

"You know I love you, no matter what you look like." 

"I know," Cyrus said. "I just wish I knew what will become of me. Tarek spoke as if this transition is not my last. I killed my mother when I was born. I made a wolf suffer for years and then I killed it. What if we're all wrong, maybe I'm not good for the world, maybe I'm bad." 

"You can't believe that. Your mother passed on her beauty and light into a new generation through you. And that wolf paid for attacking you, but you forgave him and released him from that pain. Just like you said you did." She touched the side of his face gently. "And your father, you'll one day he'll him too. I saw it begin the day we left. Now, lets teach you how to put on a pair of trousers," Hermione said. 

After a struggle to teach him how to dress properly, they headed to the Great Hall where Ginny and Ron were waiting. They saw Cyrus holding Hermione's hand, looking like an 11 year old sized baby new on it's feet and they were as shocked as Hermione at how different he looked. They could hardly believe it was him. And if not for that impression of a star on his forhead, they might have thought it was a different child all together. 

"It's me," Cyrus said. "I just have two legs now, like you. But it's really me." 

"Wow," Ginny finally said. "I never thought you would be so... seem so..." 

"Different," Ron finished. 

"I'm still me," Cyrus said. 

"You ready for that flying lesson I promised you?" Ron asked. 

"Ron, he's just learning to walk." 

"But mum, I've been waiting for this," Cyrus said. "I've always dreamed of flying." 

"Fine, go have your fun, but be careful." 

Ron started out the hall and Cyrus started after him at a run. That quick he forgot the change and fell over his new two feet. The two women ran over as he fell flat on his face, but he was already getting back on his feet with a huge grin. 

"I'll get the hang of it," he said. "It's okay, I'm not hurt." 

  
As Ron walked with Cyrus (each of them carrying a broom) he noticed he was more comfortable on his feet, but still stumbling occasionally. 

"Ron," Cyrus said. 

"Yes," he replied. 

"You should marry my mum." 

"What?" 

"You love her right? You were ready to fight my dad cause he insulted her and she held you back, because she didn't want to see you hurt." 

"That's what people who love each other do, they protect each other." 

"Don't people who love each other get married." 

"If they love each other in that special way." 

"Don't you love her that way." 

Ron laughed to himself. "I guess I do, you make it so simple." 

"It was always simple," Cyrus replied. And then Ron saw the same old Cyrus, so young and yet so wise. 

"You ready to fly?" Ron asked. 

"Let's do it," Cyrus said mounting the broom all wrong and falling. 

Ron helped him up and taught him how to mount properly. 

"This is always what I thought having a dad would be like," he said getting on the broom. 

Ron gave him a confident pat on the shoulder and they took off. 

  
**** 

Hermione was elated to have Cyrus home again. Knowing he was at home sleeping in his room like any other child filled her heart with a certain completeness. She sat in the kitchen sipping tea with Ron. Ginny was asleep too and the house was completely quiet. 

"How did Cyrus' flying lessons go?" 

"He took to the sky better than he took to his feet," Ron said. "He loved it. Wouldn't be surprised if he ended up on the house team." 

"Can't believe I have a child off to Hogwarts next year and I haven't even married yet or been pregnant." 

The both laughed. 

"Hermione have you ever talked to Cyrus and he made the complicated really simple." 

"Yes, but I think that's just a gift of being a child, they see things in a simple way. The more we grow up, the less things make sense." 

"Then maybe I should take your kids advice." 

"Advice." 

Ron got down on one knee. 

"What are you--" Hermione began. 

"Just give me a second. I know this isn't the perfect place to say this or the perfect moment, but it should have been done long ago. I love you Hermione. I loved you when I was to young and stupid to know it. I loved you when you were driving me crazy. I loved you when I was away from you. I loved you when I hated you, if that makes any sense at all. And if I love you through all of that, I know I'll love you forever. So, I was wondering, if you would do me the honor of being my wife." 

Hermione didn't say anything for a moment. She looked as if she was going to cry. 

"Oh Ron," she said throwing her arms around him. "Of course I'll marry you. All you had to do was ask." 

  
And I guess all there is to say now is that Ron and Hermione did get married the next year, Harry was the best man, Ginny was the maid-of-honor, Cyrus was the ring bearer. Less than a year later they had a son, whom they named James Weasley (after Harry, but he insisted they use his middle name). And James would come to have several sisters. And all of them loved Cyrus as equally as they loved each other. 

Cyrus did well at Hogwarts, but he only went for four years. At the end of his fourth year he achieved something he had been working on since his second year, he became an animagus. Though Cyrus adjusted to his human form, it never felt natural. But as an animagus he discovered his true form, that of a unicorn. But not just any unicorn, a strong, male, white winged unicorn. And flying in that form felt more natural then any broomstick. So at the end of the year he kept this form and did not return to Hogwarts to finish. But Cyrus' story in that form and the story of how he discovered his destiny and returned to the centaur village, well it's another story all together. But one thing never changed in all their lives. Inside himself Cyrus always saw Hermione as his mother and he was always her son. 

June 13.2003

Whoo, hoo, I finished it before Harry Potter's Book Five canon came into play. 


End file.
